


A Beast of a Problem

by ag3nta



Category: X-Men - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: Still Have Powers, Angst, Beast Hank McCoy, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Drama, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, flashbacks to the past
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 13:06:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25850029
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ag3nta/pseuds/ag3nta
Summary: Becoming a Beast was always part of Hank’s fate, right? It was inevitable for him to transform, especially after experimenting with a cure for his feet. Alex on the other hand, well his life had other things in store for him like losing his only true friend, who may have been a bit more than a friend, to his obsession of becoming someone who he was not. However, life had its way of throwing curves and one of those curves was Alex becoming a Beast himself. Some would say it was a taste of his own medicine, others would say it was fate. Either way, Alex was stuck like this and Hank was the only one who can help him get through it, if Alex allowed it.
Relationships: Hank McCoy/Alex Summers
Comments: 17
Kudos: 28





	1. And you like who you are inside?

**Author's Note:**

> Started this a while ago, it’s certainly not anywhere close to being done but please enjoy!
> 
> Always wanted to write a fic where Alex became the Beast ;)

“You’re such a dick!”

“I’m a dick?” Alex scoffed and shook his head, drinking down more of the cheap beer Sean had bought. “And what makes me a dick, Wanda?” 

Wanda huffed and puffed her cheeks out like a child, making her resemble her dashing brother who Alex was the least bit fond of. “Because you-” she stopped herself and took a calming breath, “because you are mean to Hank,” she finished and Alex laughed. 

“I’m mean to Hank? Are you his bodyguard now?”

“No! God Alex how can you not see what you’re doing?! You clearly are selfish and immature and-”

“And so what? You think I care about what you think about me? Or Hank for that matter?”

“Which proves my point exactly: You only care about yourself.”

“Says you, yes,” Alex chucked his bottle in the trash can and internally cheered at himself for making the shot perfectly. “But the thing is you don’t know me, Wanda. Your dad knows me, your brother sure, but you? No.”

Wanda crossed her arms over her chest, a glare forming in her eyes. Alex swore he saw them flash red briefly but he could be seeing things. “I know enough. And I don’t like you, not that you care because you don’t, but I do not like you. At all. And you know what? That goes for a lot of people here.”

“You mean my friends? Everyone here?” Alex gestured around to the people scattered throughout Sean’s basement. “If they didn’t like me then why would they invite me, hm?”

“Because unlike you Alex, they’re nice people.”

Alex laughed. “Go home Wanda, you’re drunk.”

A sudden breeze went by and Alex sighed as Peter or Pietro, or whatever the franchise liked to call him these days, showed up out of nowhere. He had a beer of his own in hand and an arm wrapped around Wanda’s shoulder.

“My sister, drunk? You better watch your mouth, Summers,” Peter warned and Alex rolled his eyes.

“No offense Quicksilver but I can easily blast you quicker than you can run so I would check yourself before you start giving out threats.”

“You really are an asshole, aren’t you?” Wanda shook her head at him and Alex felt himself rolling his eyes again. 

“And you need to stop being some goody-two-shoes and accusing my own friends of not liking me,” Alex snapped back.

Peter chuckled. “Alex, Wanda doesn’t lie,” he grinned and Alex wanted to smack that stupid look he had going on off of his face. “I can’t think of anyone who likes you, not a single person.”

“Especially Hank,” Wanda muttered.

“Oh so you can read minds now? Well then you can probably tell what I’m about to say next, can’t you?” Alex waited a beat of silence before speaking again. “Fuck you, both of you.”

In a flash, the front of Alex’s shirt was suddenly very cold and wet and the faint smell of alcohol wafted into his senses. 

“Oops,” Peter said, not the least bit guilty at all, “my hand slipped.”

“Why you-”

“Hey!” Sean hollered out a bit too loudly. Alex clutched at his ears as they pinged and heard everyone else moan around him from Sean’s yell. “If you’re going to fight, either take it outside or at least make a bet out of it!” Sean boasted and all eyes landed on Alex, Peter, and Wanda. 

Alex took no notice of anyone else and kept his gaze focused on Peter’s narrowed eyes. “I was just leaving,” he gritted out.

“I think it’s for the best,” Peter said in a fake nice tone and Alex shot him and his sister one last look before heading upstairs.

He wanted to punch something or someone or both even. He wished he never went to this party in the first place. Who the Hell did Wanda think she was anyway? No one was friends with Alex just because they were being nice. That was the dumbest thing he had ever heard!

Alex marched his way through the house till he got outside. He sat down on the front porch steps and pulled the pack of cigarettes out of his coat pocket and pulled one out. Alex didn’t typically smoke, at all, only when he was overly stressed or pissed off. And right now was a perfect moment.

As soon as he put the cigarette in his mouth and lit it up, Alex heard the front door close, indicating he was no longer alone. 

“Those things give you cancer, you know that right?” Alex felt his annoyance rise even more as he recognized Hank’s low rumble of a voice behind him.

“I’m not stupid,” Alex bit back, lighting his cigarette and taking a long drag. He released the smoke slowly and Hank coughed behind him. 

“Never said you were,” Hank decided sitting next to Alex would be a good idea. Seemed like everyone wanted to get blasted today.

Alex merely glanced at the blue furry arm of Hank’s before keeping his eyes focused on the ground. “What do you want?”

“I can’t sit out here with you?” Alex turned to look at him, seeing Hank had that dumb look of innocence on his face. His amber eyes were soft as they looked into Alex’s own and he shifted his gaze to the ground again.

“Came out here to be alone, Bozo.”

Silence built but Hank didn’t leave. Alex took another drag of his cigarette before throwing it on the ground and squashing it with his foot.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Alex looked at Hank again and Hank was already looking at him. Or he never stopped really; Alex wasn’t sure but he didn’t really care either way. 

“Talk about what?”

Hank sighed. “I heard your whole conversation, with Peter and Wanda.”

“Snoop.”

Hank merely shrugged. “I have heightened hearing.”

“Yeah because you’re a big, blue, furry freak Hank. I get it.” Hank visibly stiffened and sadly, Alex was too pissed off still to feel remorse for what he just said. “You and everyone else don’t like me,” he muttered bitterly, knowing what Wanda said did have some truth, unfortunately. 

“I never said-”

“You didn’t have to, Wanda did it for you because she has enough balls to do it,” Alex interjected quickly. “Look, the next time you have a problem with me or want to say something about me, why don’t you say it to my face then?” Hank didn’t reply or even look the least bit angry, he only had a blank expression on his face. “You know for someone as big and strong as you are, you’re a fucking coward.”

With that, Alex got up and hopped onto his bike. It was Scott’s bike really and Alex needed to get home before Scott noticed his precious motorcycle was missing. He didn’t let Alex borrow anything because he didn’t trust him with anything.

Alex loved being on everyone’s good side.

When he finally got home after about twenty minutes of open road and five red lights, Alex opened up the garage door only to find Scott already standing there. 

His arms were crossed over his chest, he had a blank look on his face, and Alex didn’t need him to even wear his visor to tell he was glaring at him. 

“Shit,” Alex cursed to himself as he removed the bike helmet, running a hand through his now helmet hair. “I thought you weren’t going to be home till tomorrow morning?”

“It is morning,” Scott deadpanned. “Two in the morning to be exact and I landed at midnight, like I told you I would,” Alex nodded, vaguely remembering the details of Scott’s schedule. “I thought I also told you not to touch my stuff either, right?” Alex nodded, his hands reaching for the keys still in the ignition.

“Scott it-”

“It what? It’s just a bike? A piece of my property that I paid for?” Scott waited for him to answer but Alex didn’t have one. “When are you going to realize not everything is a toy?”

“Excuse me? I take your bike out for one night without your permission and suddenly I’m a child?”

“Yes! Alex you have no sense of responsibility or-”

“I can’t believe this,” Alex shook his head to himself. “I get my own friends but you too, Scott? I had beer poured onto me tonight and got told no one likes me and now I have to deal with you calling me a child?” Alex shook his head again, what a night this turned out to be.

“You know Alex, maybe you need to grow up and realize that you cause your own problems,” Scott walked up to the bike and nearly yanked the keys out of the ignition before walking off. 

Alex put the kickstand down and got off the bike, setting the helmet down on the seat. He should blast the bike, burn it into ash but that would only make Scott hate him further, along with everyone else.

He left the garage then and headed upstairs to his room to see Scott already in it. Alex halted in the doorway as he saw Scott with suitcases open and shoving Alex’s clothes inside of them.

“What the fuck! What are you doing?!” Alex started to take his clothes out but Scott only put them back in. “Are you kicking me out?!”

“Yes,” Scott seethed and zipped up Alex's suitcase before pressing it against his chest. “Alex, I love you, I really do, but you’re not my brother. You’ve-changed, okay? Ever since that one night you’ve changed completely and I don’t even recognize you anymore.”

“I kiss one guy and suddenly I’m a different person? Don’t you think that’s a bit hypocritical?”

“That’s not what I mean,” Scott sighed.

“Then what do you mean, Scott? How does kissing someone make me this completely different person?”

Scott cleared his throat. “It’s what you did after,” Alex gave him a weird look, hoping Scott would take notice and elaborate. “When you kissed Hank.” Alex bit down on his lip, knowing exactly what Scott was referring to. 

_Two Years Ago_

_“You know, I had a dream about you last night,” Alex brought up, resting his hand on his chin._

_Hank hummed and scooted closer to Alex on the small couch in Scott’s house. “So you’re dreaming about me now?”_

_Alex shrugged. “Maybe. But it’s all your fault too since you and Scott have been hanging out a lot. It’s only normal to see people you see daily in your dreams, right?”_

_Hank nodded. “Definitely. I once wrote a paper about it,” Alex laughed. “What? Is that funny to you?”_

_“No, it’s just...typical Bozo.”_

_“Typical? So now I’m typical?”_

_“No, predictable.”_

_“You’re just as easily predictable, Havok,” Hank teased and Alex scoffed._

_“Really? And you’re not?”_

_Hank chuckled. “Since I’m so predictable, what’s my next move?” Alex laughed and shrugged. “You don’t know? Then how can I be so predictable?”_

_“You’re predictably unpredictable,” Alex corrected himself._

_“That is not a thing.”_

_“It is to a thing!” Alex lightly swatted his chest and Hank laughed. “Okay fine. If I’m so predictable then what’s my next move?”_

_Hank licked his lips and Alex swore he was smirking a little. When did he become so confident?_

_“You’re going to kiss me.”_

_Alex scoffed. “Oh I really was not. You were going to kiss me, Hank.”_

_“Is that something you would like? For me to kiss you?”_

_Alex bit down on his lip to hide himself from smiling. “Correct me if I’m wrong but it seems you like me, Hank,” he said cheekily._

_“Maybe I do.”_

_“Wow, just maybe?”_

_“Well, hypothetically speaking, if did, what would you do about it?”_

_“I’d let you kiss me, hypothetically speaking of course.”_

_Hank laughed and his hand came up and rested on Alex’s cheek. His skin was nice and cool against Alex’s already blushing cheeks and Hank’s blue gaze pierced into him._

_“Just a kiss?” Alex nodded, his words scrambling in his thoughts, allowing him to not form a cohesive sentence at this moment._

_“Well it could be a bad kiss.”_

_“It could, but it won’t.”_

_“Promise?”_

_“Promise.”_

_Hank leaned forward then and Alex did as well till their lips meant at the halfway point. Hank’s lips were soft and tasted faintly of strawberries. Alex’s stomach was fluttering like crazy and just as he was about to kiss Hank back, he heard the door close, indicating Scott’s arrival._

_Present Day_

“Hank’s over it, I’m over it,” Alex brushed off and Scott shook his head.

“He’s not over it and you distancing yourself from him isn’t helping him either.”

“Distancing myself?! Scott, he didn’t like who he was and wanted to change who he was and that’s my fault? My fault for not wanting him to change and when he does he changes even more? How is that fair to me?”

“I never said-”

“I liked Hank for how he was, even if his feet looked weird I didn’t care. But I tried to not get him to make a serum and he didn’t listen and in turn made himself look even worse in his eyes. There was nothing I could’ve done to stop it and there’s sure as Hell nothing I can do now. I liked who Hank was, not who he is now.”

“When he wasn’t blue?”

Alex rolled his eyes. “No. Look Scott, if Hank’s not happy with himself then how can he make me happy and how can I make him happy? Him and I don’t work and sharing one kiss years ago won’t change that.”

“I never said-”

“You didn’t have to. This isn’t my fault and I’m sick and tired of everyone thinking it is. My friends, my own friends think I left Hank because he became Beast but I didn’t. Hank’s the one who changed, not me.”

Scott shook his head, clearly disagreeing. “As soon as Hank changed you stopped being around him.” 

Alex wanted to rip his hair out. 

“You’re not listening to me. Hank and I kissed. Hank became obsessed with becoming someone who he wasn’t. I left. Hank became Beast. End of story.”

“Hank doesn’t see it that way.”

“Who cares?! Who fucking cares?! Just because Hank is nicer and smarter doesn’t make me less worthy of being in the right! How can I be with someone who doesn’t even like who they are inside?”

“And you like who you are inside?”

Alex looked up at his ceiling and shook his head. “I _love_ who I am,” he brushed past Scott and walked out. 

He grabbed his car keys and sped out of the garage and out of his neighborhood. Alex was usually a good driver, a great driver, but right now he was angry and his road rage was very heightened.

Getting a ticket was the least of his concerns right now. Right now, Alex was pulling up into the expansive parking lot outside of Hank’s apartment complex. 

Thankfully, Hank lived on the first floor so Alex went right up to his door and banged on it till Hank opened. And of course, Hank looked very surprised to see Alex.

“This is all your fault,” Alex seethed and Hank made a face. 

“I beg your pardon?”

“You telling everyone how-how I’m some shit person all because we didn’t date and now everyone hates me and even Scott-”

“Alex,” Hank said calmly, “what are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about! Ever since you kissed me, you changed into Beast and suddenly it’s my fault that you and I didn’t get together or I didn’t stick around.”

Hank slowly nodded. “I didn’t say anything, if that’s what you’re asking. I didn’t tell anyone we kissed. Did you?”

“No. Scott’s the only one who knows.”

“Well was,” Hank looked past Alex and he turned around to see Wanda was a few feet behind him. “Hello Wanda,” Hank greeted awkwardly and Alex felt his annoyance returning. 

Wanda looked between the two of them, confused. “You two kissed? Hank why would you-”

“Because we liked each other, okay?” Alex cut her off, clenching his hands into fists. “Now if you would excuse us, Hank and I were in the middle of a conversation.” 

“Please Alex-”

“Wanda,” Hank gave her a look and Wanda nodded before walking off. “Are we done here?”

Alex turned back to Hank and took a deep breath. “Are you mad at me?”

“Alex, it’s late.”

“That doesn’t answer the question.”

Hank lifted up his glasses to rub at his eyes. “No, I’m not. I was, but I’m not anymore,” he confessed and Alex nodded. 

“What were you mad about?”

“You didn’t stick around.” 

“You changed.”

“You did too.”

Alex knew coming here was a bad idea. He shouldn’t have in the first place. “Hank, I didn’t like watching you obsess over changing who you were because,” he felt his throat tighten and Alex knew he could do this, he could be honest, “I already liked you how you were, before you were serum and cure crazed.”

Hank nodded. “I understand.”

“Okay.”

“Okay,” Hank repeated. “Well, have a good night, Alex.”

“You too,” Alex watched Hank give a small wave goodbye before he closed the door. Alex closed his eyes and rested his head against the cool wood that was Hank’s door. “I’m an idiot.”

“Yeah you are,” Alex snapped his eyes open and looked to see Wanda was still there.

“I thought you left?”

Wanda shrugged. “Wanted to stick around, hear what you had to say, see if it would make me feel some sort of sympathy,” Alex laughed. “But I was wrong. Just admit it, Alex. You don’t like Hank as Beast. That’s why you left.”

“Whatever,” Alex brushed off and walked back towards his car. 

“Maybe you should try and be a beast yourself, then you will really see how it feels.”

Alex ignored her and got back into his car. He drove off in the opposite direction of his house, going towards the city. He would get a hotel tonight, even if he didn’t have any clothes or anything to wear the next day.

He would stay in the hotel till things settled down with Scott. Alex would go back and get his clothes when he knew Scott wouldn’t be home.

The hotel was only about ten minutes from Hank’s apartment and soon enough, Alex was checking himself into a hotel room and falling flat on the bed as soon as he got there. 

His eyelids felt heavy and Alex was exhausted. Emotionally, mentally, and especially physically.

Alex had started to feel different and felt it rather quickly. He sat up in the bed and turned the light on, staring down at his hands. They looked normal, but he felt a tingling sensation throughout his whole body.

Red beams swirled around him and Alex knew it wasn’t his plasma. He knew those red beams belonged to a certain someone: Wanda.

His steps felt different as Alex made his way to the hotel bathroom and as soon as he looked in the mirror, he nearly fainted.

Eyes he didn't recognize stared back. He felt a crawling horror, as he took in the face and body before him.

Surely it couldn't be. Surely this wasn't him. But it was. And he was afraid.

He had become a Beast.


	2. Holy shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably should have posted this sooner but I have like three other fics out on AO3 😅
> 
> Anyway, hope you all enjoy!!

“Hank!”

Eyelids heavy and annoyance high, Hank opened his eyes. His clock glared back at him and let him know it wasn’t even seven yet, on a Sunday. Sunday which was the day Hank enjoyed doing absolutely nothing before his work week picked back up.

Why Scott Summers of all people was banging on his door at a quarter to seven on a Sunday morning was a mystery to Hank, but he had a feeling what it would be about. Or who it would be about really. 

Scott probably wanted to talk about Alex. Hank had a feeling when Alex left after last night, he went home to tell Scott all about how he saw him. Well, Hank could only hope that was the case, not that he had a crush on Alex or anything…

“Hank!” Scott knocked again and Hank pushed himself off of his couch and dragged his feet over to the door. Hank was ridiculously tired last night and didn’t even make it to his bedroom. He stayed up watching documentaries on fish because he needed a distraction, especially after seeing Alex and speaking to him twice in one night.

Alex had not spoken to Hank in a while and when he did, it always had left Hank feeling a certain way. He was always left feeling confused, faltered, and angered at himself for letting things get that way between him and Alex. He knew he wasn’t completely to blame for them not dating, but he still took most of the responsibility.

The persistent knocking from Scott forced Hank to come out of his thoughts and hurry off to the door. As soon as Hank opened it, Scott frantically pushed past him and started searching through Hank’s apartment, calling out Alex’s name.

Hank rubbed at his eyes and it took him a minute or two to truly wake up and realize what Scott was doing. “What’s going on?” Hank yawned out as he watched Scott nearly rip his couch apart.

“Alex is missing. Alex is missing and his phone is off and I don’t know where he is.”

“And you thought he would be here?”

“Well is he?”

Hank shook his head. “No, he’s not.” He moved past his living room and went to his kitchen, starting up a large pot of coffee. “Would you like some-”

“Are you not worried?” Scott cut him off and Hank blinked at him. “Alex, my brother, your friend, is missing! Hank he’s gone and it’s my fault because we had an argument and-”

“Scott, slow down,” Hank tried his best at telling him calmly, his drowsiness escaping him, “I’m sure Alex isn’t missing, but what time did he come home last night?”

“He didn’t.”

Hank hummed, knowing that was quite unusual for Alex to do. “Alex stopped by here,” he muttered and Scott didn’t seem the least bit surprised by the news. “It was brief, no more than five minutes and then he left,” he explained and Scott nodded.

“What did he come to you about?”

Hank bit down lightly on his tongue, not wanting to say. He didn’t want to rehash what Alex was upset about because he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go around that block again with Scott about it. 

“Right, I forgot you two keep secrets with each other,” Scott said when Hank didn’t answer.

“We don’t keep secrets with each other.”

Scott cocked an eyebrow high above his visor. “Oh really? Then what did you and Alex talk about?”

“Nothing that would cause him to run away, I can tell you that much,” Hank casually crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against his counter, hearing the coffee brew behind him. 

Scott nodded slowly, staring down at the ground. “And at the party?” He lifted his head up and walked a bit closer to Hank, craning his head up slightly to meet his eyes. “What happened?”

“Wanda got into it with Alex, again,” Hank sighed heavily, “followed by Peter and then Alex left. I talked to him briefly but it wasn’t much of a conversation and that’s about it.”

“Great,” Scott groaned to himself and shook his head. “So Alex could pretty much be anywhere.”

“And I’m sure wherever he is he’s safe,” Hank reassured Scott to provide some form of comfort. “Good luck finding him,” he offered up a small smile before turning around to grab a couple of mugs out of his cupboard. “Would you like some coffee?”

“Hank,” Scott said in a way that made Hank turn around again. Scott titled his head to the side and looked at Hank a certain way and not in the way that he liked to be looked at either. “After everything-”

“Everything is nothing,” Hank snapped without truly meaning to. “What Alex and I had or didn’t have really is in the past.”

“Which bleeds into your present,” Scott finished for him and Hank shook his head. “You both need to get over yourselves and realize you two are good for each other.”

Hank let out a very faint laugh of disbelief. “Scott we are not talking about this right now. What happened with Alex and I has nothing to do with what is happening right now and with Alex not coming home.”

“Do you know that for sure?” Scott pushed and Hank nodded. “So you have no romantic feelings left for Alex?”

“I will help you find him if you never ask me that again.”

Scott huffed. “Fine. Do you have any idea where he could’ve gone?”

_Two Years Ago_

_Hank had his fingers running lightly through Alex's hair. He was surprised by the position he and Alex were in, surprised Alex would let him even do this too._

_Alex had his head on Hank’s lap, his head turned to the side as they watched a silent movie play on Hank’s TV. Hank enjoyed moments like these, moments where it was just the two of them sitting comfortably in silence._

_It seemed he and Alex had a tendency of being interrupted by either their friends or by Scott. Hank didn’t want to be interrupted today, he wanted to be selfish and enjoy some alone time with Alex since he wasn’t sure when he would ever get a chance to have it again._

_So there they were. In Hank’s apartment lounging on the couch like two content cats. Hank even swore Alex made a purring noise as soon as his hand made its way into his hair. Hank still couldn’t get over the fact that Alex let him touch him so...intimately. It felt intimate, to Hank at least. He felt as though Alex allowing him to do this meant he liked him._

_Maybe he did, but Hank didn’t want to get his hopes up quite yet._

_“I think I need to listen to something,” Alex blurted randomly, breaking the silence which seemed to have been between them for what felt like hours. Hank couldn’t help but laugh and Alex turned his head and looked up at him. “What? That’s funny to you Bozo?”_

_Hank shook his head, ignoring the remark Hank grew to like, not that he would tell Alex of course. “Would you like to watch a different movie?” Hank suggested and Alex shrugged._

_“Do you?”_

_“Up to you.”_

_“Ugh, I hate when people say that,” Alex laughed. “Like either offer something or not at all, you know?” Hank nodded, continuing to run his fingers through Alex’s soft locks. “Let’s talk.”_

_“About what?”_

_“Hmm,” Alex hummed as he thought. “Do you have a best friend?”_

_Hank chuckled. “Alex, I think you already know the answer to that.”_

_Alex scoffed. “I do not. Who’s your best friend?”_

_“Why do you need to know?”_

_“Because what if I don’t like them?”_

_“What does your opinion on someone have to do with me?”_

_“God,” Alex mumbled under his breath and sat up, looking Hank in the eyes fully. “Because...you know,” he gave Hank a look and Hank looked confused._

_“I’m not following.”_

_Alex took a deep breath. “Because...what if they don’t like me or my best friend doesn’t like you?”_

_“I think that’s hard to do, you’re pretty likeable.”_

_“You think so?”_

_“I know so. Again, what does this have to do with anything?”_

_“Because,” Alex started up again, “shit Bozo I’m not good with this stuff. I-I like you and if there’s the slight chance that you know, you like me back and we date...I don’t want to come between you and anyone.”_

_Hank felt like his heart just burst with joy and happiness and everything fuzzy. He didn’t know what to say or how to describe how he felt so he took a deep breath and played it cool._

_“I don’t think that will be a problem,” Hank replied slowly. “I don’t have a best friend, I mean I do, but it’s no one you should worry about. What about you?”_

_“You’re my best friend,” Alex told him without hesitation and Hank smiled._

_“I thought Sean was your best friend?” Hank asked, a little confused knowing how close Sean and Alex were._

_“He is, but between you and me, you’re a bit higher on the best friend scale.”_

_“Secret’s safe with me,” Hank grinned. “You’re my best friend too. And I like you too,” Hank said a bit cheekily and Alex smirked. “I have a question.”_

_“Hm?”_

_“If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?”_

_Alex snorted. “Easy, Hawaii. You?”_

_Hank bit down on his lip, too nervous to say where he would want to be was right here with Alex. “Don’t know,” he said instead and Alex nodded, both of them turning back to the TV and finding a movie._

_Present Day_

“Don’t know,” Hank replied, knowing surely Alex couldn’t have possibly gone to Hawaii overnight. He probably could’ve, but he didn’t think it was something he would do. “Have you tried contacting the police?”

Scott scoffed. “Yeah right. They won’t do anything unless he’s been missing a full day and I highly doubt they would help a mutant anyway,” he muttered a bit bitterly. “I don’t know how else I could possibly find him, or if I’ll be able to find him even.”

“I’m sure you will. Alex is smart.”

“Yes but he’s impulsive so who knows where he could be,” Hank nodded and Scott made a face. “Hank,” he said Hank’s name a bit drawn out, “are you sure you have no idea where Alex could’ve gone?” 

Hank nodded. “Positive.”

“Mhm. Well, this could be a life or death situation-”

“I think that’s a bit of an exaggeration. I’m sure Alex isn’t dead, he can handle himself fairly well,” Hank noted, taking into account Alex’s mutation which would surely save him in a life or death situation, if need be. 

“I know he can but there isn’t any possible place he would have mentioned? Even in the past?” 

Hank sighed heavily. Again, he _highly_ doubted Alex was in Hawaii but Hank still felt a bit hesitant when it came to telling Scott that. He was sure Scott already knew where Alex would want to go since they are brothers, but telling Scott what Alex said to Hank privately didn’t feel right. It felt as though what he and Alex talked about was meant to stay between the two of them. 

“Have you tried calling your parents?” Hank suggested and Scott shook his head.

“Five hours behind where they live and I highly doubt Alex would go to Hawaii either. He hates flying, as much as he would want to go there,” Hank nodded and felt relieved as Scott figured out the possible destination himself. “Should I take a look at his bank records? We do have a shared account. I could see his last credit card activity?”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. Unless he paid cash,” Hank began and Scott shot him a look. “Right well, I’ll go grab my laptop,” Hank excused, making a note to himself to get his coffee when he came back.

Hank dragged himself over to his office where he always kept his laptop and returned back to his living room to see Scott had started up a pace in front of his couch. Hank booted up his computer and handed it to Scott.

“Here you go. Can I get you anything? Coffee? Eggs?” Scott shook his head, furiously typing away at the laptop. Hank made his way back into the kitchen, poured himself some coffee, and stuck two pieces of bread in the toaster when he heard Scott cry out triumphantly. “Success?” Hank poked his head out to see Scott was grinning at his laptop. 

“A hotel! Of course he’s at a hotel! Why didn’t I think of that?” Scott asked himself and turned his attention to Hank once more. “Come on! Let’s go-”

“Wait,” Hank quickly said before Scott could make any movement or say anything else for that matter on how he was going to rescue Alex, “don’t you think Alex wants to be left alone?”

“I can’t go and talk to him? Go see if he’s okay?”

“Personally, if I were you, I would wait. Alex is probably still sleeping and maybe he’s still mad too. I think he needs space.”

Scott sighed and nodded slowly. “You’re right,” he slumped down on the couch. “You should go.”

Hank barked out a laugh. “Very funny. I’m the last person Alex wants to see.”

“Yeah right. He came to you last night, didn’t he?”

Hank rolled his eyes and walked back into his kitchen, aggressively yanking his bread out of the toaster and shoving it in his mouth. Dry. Maybe if he choked on his bread, Scott would call an ambulance and Hank would have a good excuse to not go and seek out Alex.

“Okay but why not?” Hank turned around as he chewed to see Scott had followed him in his kitchen and was now a couple feet behind him. “Why don’t you want to go see him? He came to see you,” he mentioned once more.

Hank chewed, swallowed, and washed down whatever was in his mouth with a big and long sip of coffee. “Because it’s weird, Scott.”

“Kissing him once and not dating makes it weird?”

“Yes! Look, I don’t have a sibling so maybe you shouldn’t listen to my advice. If you want to go see Alex, then go see him. I will not stop you and I highly doubt anyone will,” Hank brought the coffee back up to his lips, wanting this conversation to cease. 

“Fine fine,” Scott agreed reluctantly. “But hear me out, what if you just come with me? You can stay in the car, but just come with me. Deal?”

Hank cursed to himself through his mug and drank down the last of his coffee, looking at Scott’s hopeful grin with a frown. “I’m staying in the car,” he confirmed.

“Staying in the car,” Scott repeated. “I’ll drive!”

Hank only shook his head as Scott ran ahead and got in the car. Hank slipped his shoes on, ran a hand over his face, and followed Scott out.

The drive to the hotel was quiet outside of the radio station playing softly in Scott’s car. He had the channel set to the news of all things and Hank stared mindlessly out the window.

“Do you know what room he’s in?” Hank asked out of curiosity and felt the slightest bit awkward with the silence.

“No. I don’t think they would tell me either.”

“So you’re going to go knock on random doors till you find him?”

Scott shrugged. “Yeah. Do you have a better way?”

“Um...I might be able to sniff him out?” Hank felt his fur shift on his cheeks as he knew he was getting flustered. “I-I haven’t done it in awhile so I can’t promise anything,” he quickly added and Scott gave him a small smile. 

“That’s quite alright. Anything you do is greatly appreciated,” Hank nodded, hoping it would be.

When they finally arrived at the hotel after about twenty or so minutes of driving, a highly potent smell hit Hank instantly. Both Hank and Scott immediately recognized Alex’s car parked right in front of a hotel room marked by the number three.

As soon as Scott pulled near the car, Hank began to recognize the smell as Alex’s scent. Alex always had a certain smell about him that stuck out from the rest of the people Hank knew. His scent was sweeter and a tad bit spicy than other peoples’, ultimately making Alex more unique to Hank than anyone else. He was already unique in his own way anyway, but Alex’s contributing smell added on to that. 

“He’s in that room,” Hank confirmed with a cough, feeling overwhelmed by how strong Alex’s scent was now. It surely wasn’t like that last night, that was for sure.

“Okay, I’ll be right back.”

Hank watched as Scott left the car and walked up to the hotel door. Scott didn’t hesitate before knocking and Hank saw his mouth move but no sign of the door opening. 

A minute had gone by before Scott returned to the car and gave Hank a blank look. “Alex doesn’t want to talk to me. At all. Even better, he told me he hates me and never wants to see me again,” he stated flatly.

“What did you say to him?”

“Nothing! Well I apologized for what I said last night but he refuses to let me in.”

Hank rested his hand comfortingly on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. “I’m sorry Scott.”

“It’s okay,” Scott sighed. “I should’ve left him alone in the first place and not been so mean to him last night.”

“I don’t think I can be much help but,” Hank took a deep breath. “I’ll try talking to him.”

Scott’s whole face lit up. “Really? Hank, that would mean so much. Thank you,” he thanked genuinely and Hank gave him a tight smile before getting out of the car.

It took Hank four short steps till he was at Alex’s door. He slowly raised his hand up and knocked on it. 

“Scott I said go away!” Alex nearly growled and Hank took a small step back, a bit astonished by the tone and gravelliness of Alex’s tone.

“It’s Hank,” Hank said a bit awkwardly, clearing his throat. 

“Hank,” Alex repeated his name slowly and Hank heard the lock click open. The door creaked open slightly, but Alex was hiding himself behind it. “I-I need you to tell Scott to go away.”

“Alex I know you’re mad-”

“Please,” Alex begged and Hank saw a flash of red. 

“Are you alright?” Alex didn’t respond and Hank put his hand on the door, pushing it slightly to get it to open more. 

“Fine,” Alex gritted out and with more strength than he usually had, he was able to push the door more towards him. Grateful for his reflexes, Hank quickly yanked the door open and let out a gasp. 

“Holy shit.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will Alex react to seeing Hank in this new form? Find out in the next chapter!


	3. Alex felt like a defective grenade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized I have a lot of these chapters written???
> 
> Anyway, here’s more angst!
> 
> Also changed the rating to Explicit because swearing plus smut :) in the future

“Leave!” Alex yelled and forced the door shut while Hank was temporarily distracted by his shock at Alex’s appearance. It wasn’t the biggest deal, was it? Alex certainly didn’t act that way when he first saw Hank big and blue and he didn’t expect a different reaction from Hank himself but he guessed he was wrong. 

_Two Years Ago…_

_The soft knock on the door grabbed Alex’s attention briefly, but he didn’t make any movements to go and answer it._

_“Alex,” Scott called out softly and Alex knew what he wanted to talk about. He wanted to talk about the one thing Alex didn’t. It made his throat feel tight just thinking about it._

_He wasn’t sure if he wanted Scott’s comfort right now either. Scott couldn’t do anything to help and he highly doubted anyone could really. Everything was going so well but of course just to Alex’s luck, it had to come crashing down._

_“May I come in?” Scott followed up with when he realized Alex didn’t provide an answer. “Look, I know you probably want to be left alone right now but,” he sighed through the door, “I don’t have an easy way of saying this but Hank is here.”_

_A weird feeling pooled into Alex’s stomach at the mere mention of Hank’s name. It was a mixture of butterflies that were also having their wings torn off as they flew. His heart felt heavy and Alex frankly felt stupid since he shouldn’t feel this way at all._

_Him and Hank didn’t even date. But what happened...it felt like a breakup. Alex felt like a part of Hank died, the part he liked as a crush and loved as a friend, and a part of Alex was dead along with him._

_Alex had no clue as to why Hank was here. It hadn’t even been a full week yet, Alex highly doubted Hank would have a change of heart in the short time since they argued. Well, fought, argue was an understatement. They had never gotten into a fight before, they bickered yes, but the words that were exchanged was something Alex truly didn’t get over since every time he closed his eyes, the fight replayed in his mind like a movie on loop._

_“I don’t want to see him,” Alex whispered to himself, knowing that wasn’t a definitive answer Scott could hear. He had a feeling Hank was going to apologize since he didn’t see himself in the wrong and Hank was just as stubborn as Alex._

_A small, tiny bit of hope made him think Hank didn’t take the serum. Maybe he listened to what Alex had said. But another part of Alex wished he was supportive of Hank and told him he was happy as long as Hank was happy. The two parts of him were at war with each other and each side had kept coming to a standstill._

_“I think you should,” Scott told him through the door and Alex looked up at his porpoise colored ceiling as tears flooded his eyes. He swore to himself he wouldn’t cry about this and so far he hadn’t, and he didn’t want today to be any different._

_And the last thing he wanted was for Hank to see him vulnerable. Alex wasn’t going to let himself cry, even if bottling it up wasn’t healthy. He wouldn’t do it._

_“Please go away,” Alex begged and he didn’t even recognize his voice as he spoke. It sounded dry, sounded broken and hurt and everything Alex was in the moment. And he hated it. He hated feeling like this and he wanted to be left alone._

_He didn’t want to talk about what happened with Hank since he and Hank will keep going in circles. They would never come to a consensus and Alex felt as though they would never move past this. There will always be those words unsaid that neither of them could take back._

_“I’m sorry,” Scott apologized and Alex was confused as to what he was apologizing for. None of this was his fault, it was between him and Hank, even if Hank was originally and currently Scott’s friend._

_Alex came to realize Scott was apologizing for what he was about to do. And what he did was he managed to open Alex’s door by lasering off the doorknob._

_Normally, Alex would be mad and upset Scott nearly destroyed his door and he would now have to fix it, but right now, Alex was too numb to care. He didn’t look when Scott and Hank entered his room and Alex really started to feel like a child, which he hated even more._

_Scott cleared his throat to draw Alex’s attention. Slowly, ever so slowly, Alex met the gaze of Scott’s visor, and then turned to look at who was next to him._

_It was Hank. He was still recognizable to Alex due to his glasses and somewhat still human bone structure, but Hank was much taller. He was always a couple of inches above six feet, but Hank exceeded that amount by at least another inch or so. Bright blue fur seemed to cover him from head to toe, all leading up to his amber eyes which stuck out._

_“The serum didn’t work,” Hank got out, sounding like a wounded puppy. Alex only nodded, unsure of what to say or if he should even say anything at all. Disappointment washed over Hank’s face briefly and Alex didn’t know how to interpret that either. Was Hank expecting him to say or do something?_

_Present Day_

“Alex!” Hank banged heavily on the door and made it rattle, causing the walls inside Alex’s hotel room to shake as well. 

“Go away!” Alex practically roared and if he wasn’t paying for this room, he would rip most of it to shreds. “I don’t want to see you or Scott or anyone!” His heart was racing and he could feel his blood coursing through his veins and anger flowing right along with it.

“Alex if you do not open this door so help me I will raise your room bill to thousands and knock it down!”

Alex rolled his eyes and yanked the door open but kept the deadbolt locked in place. The door was ajar and Alex hid himself as best as he could behind it, leaving them exposed crack seen to only show Hank the room. 

“What part of I want to be left alone do you not understand?” Alex clipped, feeling just claws dig into the center of his palms from clenching his fists so tightly. 

“I need-”

“What? An explanation?” Alex scoffed. “You never gave me one so why should I do the same and give you one?” He bit back bitterly and Alex’s goal was to piss Hank off enough that he would do what Alex wanted and leave.

But Hank was smarter than that and unfortunately knew exactly how Alex worked too.

“You want to go there?!” Hank yelled back and Alex felt so bad for whoever was staying in this hotel since he was pretty sure he and Hank could be heard from miles away. “Fine. We’ll go there, Alex,” he snapped. “You are shutting me out just like you always do! Pushing everyone away when they can help you!”

“And what gave you the impression that I needed help from anybody? Especially you. You can’t even help yourself.”

Hank growled and Alex only stood there as Hank ripped the door right off its hinges and threw it off to the side like it was nothing. His chest was heaving and he was just as angered as Alex was himself, but he wasn’t intimidated at all.

“Struck a nerve, Bozo?” Alex followed up with and he knew he wasn’t helping his situation at all.

Hank grabbed him by the front of the bathroom robe he was wearing, Alex had ripped out of his other clothes minus his leather jacket thankfully which he had enough sense to take off, and pressed him against the wall.

“Why do you look like this?!” Hank demanded and Alex could smell the coffee on his breath. “Do you think this is some kind of joke? Think it’s funny to disguise yourself as something that looks like me?!” His eyes narrowed as he gazed into Alex’s.

“Just like you Beast, I didn’t ask to look like this,” Alex bit back. “Shit, I didn’t even know this was possible yet here I am! Looking exactly how she wanted me to!”

Hank snarled and bore his teeth. “Who?”

“Your darling friend Wanda.”

Hank’s anger subsided momentarily and was replaced with confusion. “Wanda? She couldn’t possibly, her mutation doesn’t-”

“Well it did and now I look like this,” Alex hissed. “Big, red, and fucking furry just like you, Hank.” Slowly, Hank set Alex down and he pushed Hank back as soon as his feet were on the ground again. 

“It’s not possible,” Hank observed in awe as he reached out to touch Alex’s fur but Alex swatted his hand away. 

“Clearly it is and don’t fucking touch me,” Alex brushed past him and sat down on the king bed he got for himself and grabbed the remote, flicking the TV on and scrolling through the channels. “Now if you could leave, I have shows-”

“Alex,” Hank barked and to Alex’s annoyance, Hank was stepped in front of the TV now, blocking Alex from selecting any shows or anything. “You’re not taking this seriously right now.”

“Because I don’t _have_ to. You think I care that I look like this? You think I’m going to walk out of here and suddenly start giving a shit about what people think of me?”

Hank shook his head, disappointed. “Maybe that’s your problem, Alex. You don’t care about anyone but yourself.”

“You’re right. Maybe everybody was right about me then, huh?” Alex pushed himself off the bed and crossed his arms over his chest, walking right back up to Hank. “I only care about myself and I’m an asshole. Why don’t you do us both a favor and leave?”

“Unlike you, I don’t leave when conflict arises.”

“Newsflash Hank but I never left you. You changed and you pushed and you just kept pushing and suddenly I want to do the same and it’s a problem? Don’t you think that’s a bit hypocritical? Even for you?”

“You didn’t stay, Alex,” Hank said flatly. 

“You never asked me to.”

“You wouldn’t speak to me anyway.”

Alex rolled his eyes, not believing they were talking about this. Again. “Because what was said was said, Hank. I had nothing to say to you then and I still have nothing to say to you now.”

“Woah,” Alex tore his eyes away from Hank to look at the doorway, seeing Scott was now standing there. His jaw was slacked open and he looked at Alex, then at Hank, and finally back at Alex with confusion. “Alex?”

“Who else would it be?” Alex muttered and he could see Hank’s eyeroll out of his peripheral. 

“What-What happened?”

“Yes Alex,” Hank chimed in again, “what exactly happened?”

Alex looked between the two of them and realized neither of them were leaving. Sighing heavy with defeat, Alex caved and rehashed his conversation with Wanda and everything up to him appearing the way he currently does.

“Why would Wanda do this?” Scott asked, confused.

“She’s not too fond of Alex,” Hank mumbled and Alex nodded in agreement since after all, it was the truth. 

“She hates you that much to do this to you?” Scott tilted his head to the side as he studied Alex, taking him all in, Alex supposed. 

“Wanda, like everyone else, believes I stopped talking to Hank when he became Beast so Wanda thought I should get a taste of my own medicine,” Alex recalled bitterly. “Meaning she continues to stick her nose in my business.”

Alex flopped back down on the bed and stared up at the beige hotel ceiling. Maybe if he stayed quiet long enough, Hank and Scott would take the cue and leave him alone. Alex was still upset with Scott from last night anyway and now he was getting even more and more upset with Hank by the minute. 

“Why don’t we go to Wanda and have her change you back?” Scott mentioned and Alex rolled his eyes.

“That won’t work.”

“It won’t,” Hank agreed. “I’m not even sure Wanda knew she was capable of doing this.”

“So you’re giving her the benefit of the doubt?” Alex sat up and looked at Hank, narrowing his eyes at him this time. “I think Wanda is very aware of what she did and I highly doubt she cares either. This is her way of getting back at me,” he muttered.

“For what? What did you ever do to her?” Scott pressed and looked at Hank for some sort of explanation, but Hank only shrugged. 

Alex tugged on the fur atop his head and wanted to scream. “She...she thinks I stole Hank from her. Look, Wanda never told me directly but,” Alex shrugged as he looked at Hank, “she has a thing for you.”

Hank blinked. “What? No she doesn’t, Wanda is my friend and she never-”

“Look Boz, you’re very dense when it comes to these kinds of things so,” Alex began and Hank shot him a dirty look.

“If I’m so dense then why-”

“Guys,” Scott snapped in his Big Brother voice he used a lot when he and Alex were little, “you two bickering isn’t helping. Aside from how Wanda feels about you, we need to have her change you back because this isn’t right. She can’t just go around and make people something they’re not all because she doesn’t like them. Like I can’t blast every person I don’t like,” Scott brought up and he did make a good point.

“Scott’s right. We need to get you back,” Hank said in a monotonous way. Alex knew Hank couldn’t care less about being here so he still didn’t see why he was _here_. 

Alex shook his head. “No.”

“No?” Scott and Hank repeated together.

“No,” Alex confirmed. “Maybe I don’t want to change back, okay? Whether I’m blond or red and furry, it doesn’t matter. I’m still me and if this is Wanda’s way of teaching me a lesson then she is unfortunately out of luck.”

“Wait,” Hank stepped slightly closer to Alex, “what do you mean by a lesson?”

“You know,” Alex waved his hand, paw really, in the air, “like the whole Beauty and the Beast shit.”

“Didn’t the Beast die?” Scott questioned and then looked at Alex with worry. “What if Wanda did that to you?!”

Alex barked out a laugh. “Scott, I don’t have a rose constantly losing petals now do I?” Alex shook his head at him. His life was surely not a fairytale and was _very_ far from it. 

“I doubt the situation is like that,” Hank even mustered up a faint laugh himself, “but to be safe, we should go see Wanda.”

“Yes!” Scott agreed immediately right at the same time Alex said a big fat no. 

“I’m not going to see Wanda,” Alex said very adimentally. “And the Beast did not die from being a beast, he died from Gaston shooting him and he would’ve stayed a beast forever if he didn’t find love when the last rose petal fell.”

Hank let out an amused chuckle. “Clearly you’ve seen that movie and analyzed it too many times.” Alex shot him a threatening look which was useless against Hank entirely since he was immune to Alex’s tricks, unfortunately. 

“How many times I’ve seen it is irrelevant. But what is relevant is how I am not going to see Wanda. You two can go on ahead but I’m staying here.”

“Alex, you can’t,” Scott insisted softly but Alex shook his head, not wanting to hear it. 

“I can and neither of you are going to stop me. I need you both to respect my wishes and leave,” Alex tried again and Hank exchanged a look with Scott which he chose to ignore.

“I understand you’re mad,” Scott began again.

Alex only shook his head, staring past them and looking at the broken door that he would have to pay a hefty amount of money for. “I don’t think you understand,” he muttered mainly to himself. No one would, but Alex kept that thought to himself. “I’m not mad Scott. In fact, I’m far from mad at this point, alright? I’m done.”

“Done with what exactly?”

Alex huffed. “Everything. Just everything,” he gave his brother a final look and took no notice at Hank before walking into his hotel bathroom where he closed and locked the door. Alex ran his paws, hands, whatever they were called through his fur and tried to take some calming breaths. 

It appeared his plasma was not with him, as if when he transformed his mutation was frankly replaced. Normally, Alex would feel his veins surge with energy and his whole body would heat up, waiting for the moment to burst and explode onto whoever was in his path, but that wasn’t possible right now. Alex felt like a defective grenade. He would wreak havoc as soon as someone pulled the ring, but the ring wouldn’t come off. Instead, the ring was constantly being tugged on, threatening to explode at any minute but never getting the chance to. 

“Alex please,” Scott pleaded on the other end of the door and Alex’s throat was starting to get tight from hearing the tone of his brother’s voice. “I’m sorry about last night, alright? I was being a jerk and I was tired which led me to take my anger out on you. It’s not an excuse but I am truly, deeply sorry.”

“You told me I wasn’t your brother, Scott. Maybe you’re right,” Alex said as he gazed blankly ahead at the porcelain bathtub, “maybe I’m not your brother.”

“Alex-”

“Please leave. Take Hank with you too.”

A beat of silence went by before Scott spoke again.

“Is that what you truly want?”

“Yes,” Alex felt a wetness on his cheek and he didn’t recall feeling his eyes even water. 

“Okay,” Scott agreed sadly and Alex heard the shuffle of his feet walk away from the door and out of his hotel room.

Hank was still there. Senses aside, Alex could _feel_ him there. Hank was close to the door too and Alex only prayed he didn’t take this one down either. Alex drew his knees up to his chest as far as they would go and his throat became more and more strangled with each breath he took. 

“You’re right,” he told Hank, knowing he was still listening as well. “You always are. I isolate, I avoid conflict,” Alex went on, not even sure why he was going on about this stuff himself. 

“Unpredictable.”

Hank left after saying that. It was a word that he used to tease Alex with as a way of flirting and for some reason, the one word made Alex feel the tiniest bit better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Hank and Alex make amends?


	4. It was just Alex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo I’m updating all my fics because I finally have the time to do it.
> 
> Anyway enjoy and sorry for the wait!!

Hank took one last look at Alex’s hotel room before he got back into Scott’s car, letting out a heavy sigh. He didn’t expect himself to go at it per say with Alex again yet here he was, rehashing the same argument with him over and over again. Hank couldn’t change what happened, Alex couldn’t either. The past was the past, what happened happened, and all they can do now was move past it. 

The conversation was long overdue between them but Hank was sick of arguing. He was tired of what his relationship with Alex became and he wasn’t expecting them to be friends again, to pick up where they left off but damn he didn’t even try now did he? He told Alex he was selfish but maybe Hank was also equally being selfish. 

“Alex is a fool to think I’m leaving,” Scott huffed as he slammed the door to his car, indicating his arrival and snapping Hank out of his thoughts. “I’m just going to wait till he comes out. Is that a smart move?” Hank gave a small nod, opening the car door back up. 

“I’m going to talk to him again,” he announced, hearing Scott already trying to protest, not thinking it was the best idea, but Hank was already out of the car and making his way back into Alex’s hotel room. 

The TV was softly playing golf in the background, one of Hank’s least favorite sports along with Alex’s, and the bathroom door remained closed. Hank took a deep breath and let his shoulders drop as he relaxed. He could do this. It was _just_ Alex. 

“Alex.”

_Two Years Ago…_

_“I have something to tell you,” Hank told himself in the mirror. “I-I wanted to tell you this for such a long time, but I didn’t know how. You see, the thing is-” Hank stopped himself as he heard his phone chime, indicating Alex’s arrival followed by the knock on his door. “Here goes,” he told himself before leaving the bathroom._

_Hank took a deep breath as he approached his door, unlocking it and swinging it open._

_Seeing Alex was always like a breath of fresh air. He was always so cool and relaxed whenever Hank was around him. He brought Hank a sense of comfort he didn’t even know he needed. Alex made everything easy because he never judged Hank, ever, and he knew now wouldn’t be any different, but that didn’t stop the anxiety from gnawing at his stomach._

_“Hey,” Alex greeted, his bright and warm smile fading and soon being replaced with concern as he looked at Hank. “You said you wanted to talk...is everything okay?” His bright eyes searched Hank’s face for answers and did Hank really look as nervous as he felt? Or could Alex tell something was wrong?_

_Hank didn’t answer, he only stepped aside to let Alex through and led him over to his living room. Hank sat down on his couch and rested his head in his hands. He felt the cushion near him dip as Alex sat down next to him, his hand resting on his back. Hank could do this. It was just Alex._

_“What is it?” Alex asked so softly that if there were other noises in the room Hank wouldn’t be sure if he’d even hear him._

_Hank closed his eyes. “This isn’t easy for me to say,” he swallowed down the lump forming in his throat and opened his eyes as he turned his head to look at Alex. “I-I want to be…” Hank shook his head at himself and Alex let out a faint laugh. Laugh? Wait why was Alex laughing?_

_“Hank if this is about what I think it’s about then you don’t need to be nervous,” Alex glowed when he spoke and Hank sat up straighter, looking at him with confusion._

_“What are you talking about?”_

_The expression of glee that was once on Alex’s face fell completely. He looked hurt in a sense but Hank couldn’t figure out why or what from. “What are you talking about?” Alex echoed, his voice sounding more fragile than it just did a second ago._

_“My mutation.”_

_A faint ‘oh’ slipped from Alex’s lips and his whole demeanor changed completely. He withdrew his hand from Hank’s back and sat up straighter, even scooting over a couple inches back from Hank too._

_“Go on,” Alex encouraged, “what about your mutation?”_

_Hank ran a shaky hand through his hair. “I-I want to...fix it.”_

_“Fix it?” Alex repeated. “Hank there’s nothing-”_

_“I wouldn’t expect you to understand,” Hank cut off before he could hear the rehearsed line everyone seemed to say to him. “You’re not a freak,” he muttered bitterly._

_“And you are?” Alex looked astonished by the sudden news, his face only wearing an expression of shock. “Where is this coming from?”_

_“I’ve thought about it for a while,” he admitted, “years to be exact. I’ve been thinking of a way to cure my-”_

_“Cure?!” Alex interjected and bolted off of the couch like it was made of fire. “There’s nothing to cure, Hank! There’s nothing wrong with you!”_

_“Alex I don’t expect you to-”_

_“Understand? Yeah Hank, I don’t understand why the fuck you’d change your mutation. It’s not dangerous, it’s not harmful to your health in any way and it’s one of the things that I-”_

_“This isn’t about you, Alex,” Hank barked as he stood up as well. “You don’t know what it’s like to be stared at like you’re some-some weirdo!”_

_Alex took a step back, looking at Hank as though he didn’t recognize who he was talking to. “What is wrong with you? I get it you’re insecure about your feet but that doesn’t give you any right to go changing it without telling me first! I’m your friend, Hank.”_

_“I’m telling you about it now and if you were my friend you’d support me in this decision.”_

_Alex shook his head, his eyes shining with tears. Hank was too overwhelmed with his emotions to take notice or stop Alex from feeling whatever he was feeling, but he didn’t. “You’re being selfish.”_

_“My life isn’t about you, Alex. It’s about me.”_

_“Yeah and what you do affects me, Asshole. If you wanna go change yourself then fine, go right ahead but don’t expect me to be your cheerleader.”_

_“Then leave,” Hank growled and Alex flipped him off before he walked out of Hank’s apartment, slamming the door behind him._

_Present Day_

Alex didn’t reply, as Hank should have suspected, but that wasn’t going to stop him from continuing. He slowly approached the door again but he didn’t knock. He took another deep breath. 

“You were right, you know,” Hank began, unsure of where he was going with this, “years ago. I didn’t consider how-”

“Please save me the pity speech,” Alex grumbled lowly and Hank sighed. “I don’t want to talk about this, Hank. It’s been two years, just let it go.”

“How can I let it go when it’s clearly hanging between us still?” Hank pointed out with yet another sigh and he heard shuffling on the other side of the door. “I’m sorry I didn’t consider your feelings or how you felt,” he went on when Alex remained silent. “If I could go back and change that day, I would but I can’t.” Alex grunted on the other end. 

“It would’ve happened eventually,” he muttered. 

“I should have told you sooner.”

“Would have, should have, could have,” Alex drawled out. “Look Hank I think we’re beyond the point of reconciliation. I don’t want to talk about this ever, especially now.” Hank nodded in understanding, not that Alex could see.

He turned around and sat against the door, staring down at his filed down claws. “Alex, for what it’s worth,” Hank spoke quietly, not sure if Alex could hear him or not but then again Alex possibly had heightened hearing now, “I am sorry.”

“Why now?” Alex asked in a harsh whisper. “Why after all this time you want to work things out, huh? All because I’m like _you_ now? Is that it?” He scoffed bitterly but Hank could hear the pain in his tone. 

“We never-”

“Moved past it?” Alex finished for him and Hank nodded dumbly, knowing Alex couldn’t even see it. “We never tried to move past it because I don’t think either of us wanted to. Admit it Hank, we’re just not good for each other. Me becoming this way doesn’t change anything either.”

Alex’s words stung Hank in a way but he could see right through Alex and knew he was simply being defensive and trying to get Hank to leave him alone. “I wanted to,” Hank admitted, “and I know you wanted to as well, Alex. I’m sick of _this_. I just want my friend back-”

“Why now?” Alex pressed and Hank sighed heavily.

“Because maybe now the chance to actually have a conversation with you that didn’t last more than two minutes finally arose.” Alex didn’t say anything and Hank closed his eyes, leaning his head against the door. “If you don’t want to be friends again I understand, but I would like for us to be civil so Scott and I can help you.”

Alex scoffed. “I don’t want help. I’m sure whatever Wanda did to me will fade off eventually.”

“And if it doesn’t?” 

“Then I’ll leave, start a new life. Not like anyone wants me around here anyway,” he spoke his words with defeat and Hank wanted to tell him how he wanted him around, but he knew Alex would certainly take it the wrong way if he said it. “I can’t blame them though, I was an ass,” he mumbled. 

“I thought that was part of your personality,” Hank teased in hope of lightening the mood. 

“Shut up,” Alex bit back with no hint of malice in his voice. “I’m sure Wanda will get a real kick out of this, Peter too shit,” he mused with a forced laugh.

“Unless they don’t have to know.”

“What?”

Hank cleared his throat and opened his eyes, an idea sparking behind them. “They don’t have to know,” he repeated. “For now, let’s say Alex went away, left town, went to Hawaii, wherever, but _you_ are someone else. Maybe we could say you’re my cousin who happened to have the same mutation as I did and we both took the serum-”

“Wait wait,” Alex interjected, sounding more like himself, “are you saying I should lie? Pretend to be someone else?”

“Precisely. Until we figure out a way to deal with this, whatever this is, we can pass you off as someone else. Besides, only Scott and I know and I didn’t plan on telling anybody and I doubt Scott would either.”

Hank heard some shuffling on the other end and a click of a lock, making him move away from the door and stand up. The bathroom door creaked open slightly and Hank came face to face with Alex. Even in his altered form, Hank still had some height on him, but not as much as before. 

“You’d do that?” Alex was almost hesitant with his words and Hank nodded. His eyes were a lavender color, almost silver which contrasted his red fur nicely, and they shined a bit as if Alex was getting emotional. 

“Of course,” Hank replied, unsure of what else to say, but he did mean his words. Even after everything, Hank still would honestly do anything for Alex. He would always have a soft spot for him, no matter what. 

“Thank you,” Alex said genuinely and Hank nodded in acknowledgment, clearing his throat to break the silence and whatever moment was forming between them.

“We should go, you know, get you into some comfortable clothes,” Hank suggested and Alex nodded in agreement. “Okay,” he moved aside and they walked out of Alex’s hotel room together. Hank picked the door back up and put it back where it belonged, even though the hinges were completely broken. 

Scott was rather pleased and a little bit shocked to see Alex again, taking it upon himself to check out his room and pay for whatever damages they had to fix. Hank was unsure what excuse Scott would use for the room but he was sure he would hear about that later.

“Here,” Hank snapped out of his thoughts as Alex handed him his car keys. “I think it’s best if I ride back with Scott and if you don’t mind-”

“I actually have to be somewhere,” Scott interrupted and Hank and Alex’s gaze went to him. “It’s just a little thing I have to do before work tomorrow,” he explained and walked over to Alex. “I’ll see you later?” Alex nodded and they exchanged a brief, slightly awkward hug before Scott went off.

“He did that on purpose, didn’t he?” Hank asked and Alex nodded, taking his keys back from Hank and hesitating before getting into his car. Hank got into the passenger’s seat and watched as Alex adjusted the seat to his new form and tossed his unharmed leather jacket in the back. 

The drive back to Hank’s apartment was silent, but comfortably silent. Maybe clearing the air, or at least attempting to, did both of them some good. Things would be easier between them, hopefully.

“So… _cousin_ , what’s my name? Where am I from?” Alex asked as they neared Hank’s place. “What side of the family am I from?” 

“Upstate?” Hank suggested and Alex shrugged. “And maybe you’re my mom’s...uh nephew. Yeah, that works because she does have a sister who lives in Canada but I doubt anyone will ask you that many details,” he laughed off. “And what do you want to be called?”

“Alex? What? It’s a common name!”

“Edward?”

Alex gagged. “No! Do I look like a guy who would be named Edward?”

“Eddie?”

“No.”

“Ron?”

“C’mon Bozo,” Alex grumbled as he pulled into a parking space close to where Hank had his own car. “Think of something cool like-”

“Albert!” Alex’s eyes went a little big then, hints of blue being shown in his new lilac gaze. “After Albert Einstein! My aunt is a big fan of him after all and she did name her first pet, which was a lizard, Einstein.”

Alex blinked. “She named her child after a lizard?”

“No, she named her child after one of the smartest people in the world!” Hank enthused and Alex only shook his head. “Alright fine then, you pick your name, Clifford,” he teased.

“Clifford? Look at you Bozo,” Alex smirked, showing a hint of his fangs which looked a bit sharper than Hank’s own. “Let’s go with...Rick?” 

“You want to be called Rick?”

Alex shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

The two of them got out of the car after that, heading inside to Hank’s place where Hank gave Alex some fresh clothes to change into while he occupied himself with making more coffee.

“You still have this?” He heard Alex call from the other room as he got out more mugs.

“Have what?” 

Hank turned around to see Alex was now in his kitchen, wearing his Harvard sweatshirt which he bought again to fit his Beast form, a pair of sweatpants, and he was holding up a shirt with a dinosaur on it. Him and Alex has gotten matching shirts years ago as a joke because of how stupid it looked, and Hank honestly forgot he owned it. 

“Why were you rummaging through my clothes?”

“I wasn’t, it was lying on your desk chair,” Alex tossed the shirt back to Hank which he set aside for now, watching as Alex made himself comfortable on the couch. “Christ if you’re gonna stare you might as well take a picture, last longer.” He looked away from Hank and studied his claws intensely. 

“I’m just...observing,” Hank muttered for himself. He wondered if what happened to Alex was reversible, maybe even without Wanda’s mutation. “May I take a DNA sample?”

Alex looked up at him, a little shocked and confused. “You want a DNA sample?” Hank nodded. “Of-?”

“I’ll start with your fur, just take a look at it to see.”

“See what exactly?”

“If I can find the answer with science!”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Yeah sure, do whatever.”

Hank took that as an initiative to start, so he did. He plucked a hair from Alex’s arm which resulted in a flinch from Alex but nothing more, and took it over to his office where he looked at it under his microscope.

The fibers of Alex’s hair appeared to be no different than if it were blond and normal. Obviously internally Alex was the same and his DNA didn’t appear altered either like Hank’s own samples, so maybe this was out of his field. Perhaps Alex’s appearance was exactly that, an appearance which was only created with something Hank didn’t have.

“Interesting,” he mumbled to himself as he returned to his living room, finding Alex going through his fridge. “I think what you have is temporary,” he announced and Alex closed the fridge, holding up a piece of tupperware with leftovers. “It’s meat lasagna, wasn’t fond of it so it’s all yours,” Alex nodded, grabbing himself a fork and chowing down. “I think we should contact Wanda-”

“No,” Alex immediately spoke up, his mouth full. “If it’s temporary then I’ll just ride it out. How do you know it’s temporary anyway?”

“Well, when analyzing your DNA, I discovered it didn’t seem to be altered in any way. Mine, on the other hand, has alterations in it since my form is permanent, yours is not. But I don’t know how long yours could be. It could take weeks, months, years even to go back to your former self.”

Alex nodded in understanding, finishing off the lasagna before putting the dishes in the sink. “So I’ll stay Rick McCoy for a while, so what?”

“Andrews,” Hank corrected, “and I’m serious Alex.”

“I am too. Look let’s face it, nobody likes Alex Summers currently and maybe I can redeem myself as Rick Andrews.” 

“This is a bad idea,” Hank sighed.

“It was your idea.”

“I know,” Hank sighed again, knowing he’d be kicking himself in the foot for this later. “This is staying between us and Scott. No one else needs to know.”  
The sudden knock on the door captured both of their attention and Hank stiffened. 

“Well,” Alex said, making his way to the door rather cockily, “no one besides you, me, Scott, and whoever is behind the door.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who do you think is at the door?


	5. Because I care about you, Alex

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another update, enjoy!

“Great,” Alex groaned as he opened the door, seeing who was behind it. “Why the fuck-”

“Summers?” Logan asked rather amused, a cigar hanging partially out of his mouth. “Hell happened to ya?” He looked him up and down and Alex huffed, hating how in this form Logan still had height on him. 

“Wanda Maximoff,” Hank explained and Alex stepped aside, but kept his glare on Logan. “How could you tell it was him?”

“No shit,” Logan laughed faintly, taking a long drag of his cigar. “Recognize that look anywhere.”

Alex cocked an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“It’s the Summers look, Scottie has it too. Speaking of, Scott told me he’s here where is he?”

“Of course he did,” Alex grunted as he made his way back over to the couch. 

“Scott’s not-” Hank began but before he could finish, Alex recognized the sound of Scott’s car locking, indicating his arrival. What was this? Some sort of party?

When Scott came into view, he sat next to Alex on the couch, followed by Logan next to Scott and Hank on Alex’s other side. 

“So What’s the plan?” Scott asked eagerly and Alex sighed, allowing Hank to explain everything. 

_Three Years Ago…_

_“Summers,” Logan barked and Alex groaned, staring down at his almost empty bottle of beer as Logan approached him. “Gotta sec?”_

_He flicked his eyes up to see Logan was looking at him rather...kindly? Was something wrong with the guy?_

_“What?” Alex asked rather bluntly, not wanting to fall for whatever trick Logan had up his sleeve. Logan sighed and ran a hand through his hair and was this guy actually nervous?_

_“Yer brother.”_

_“Which one?”_

_Logan rolled his eyes. “You know which one,” he hissed and Alex’s eyes went to the other side of the room where Scott was, standing with his new friend. Alex forgot his name, maybe it was Howard or Henry, something like that. Scott met him a few months ago at work, said him and the guy had a lot in common and bonded rather quickly._

_“What about Scott?” Alex asked, not taking his gaze off his brother and the other guy._

_“He’s not...with that guy, is he?” Logan beckoned over at the guy he was talking to and Alex laughed._

_“Scott doesn’t date dorks,” Alex took a sip of his beer. “The guy is totally not his type, they’re just friends. Why? You jealous?” He smirked at Logan’s annoyed expression. “Look Wolvie if you have a crush on him just do something about it, not like you to be such a-”_

_“Careful Summers,” Logan warned and Alex saw him making a fist._

_“If you kill me, Scott would never say yes if you asked him out.”_

_Logan blinked. “He would say yes?”_

_Alex rolled his eyes. “You really that dense?” Logan growled but Alex ignored it. “Scott never told me anything directly but, if you ask him out I doubt he’d say no. Happy?”_

_Logan gave a slow nod, taking a long look at Scott before looking back at Alex. “You okay with that?”_

_“Are you asking for my permission to date my brother?” Logan nodded and Alex bursted out laughing. “If it was up to me it would be a fuck no, but I’m not gonna stop you or Scott. Could he do better? Nicer? Probably but shit dude, you wanna go for Scott then do it. I’m not gonna stop you.” Alex finished off his beer, gave Logan a partial wave before heading off._

_He went outside and got some fresh air, sitting on Sean’s front porch and pulling out a cigarette. He had one only once a month, and Alex skipped a few months for no reason, but he felt like one now._

_“Those give you cancer,” he heard behind him just as Alex put the cigarette in his mouth, not even getting a chance to light it. He craned his neck to the side to see the guy Scott was talking to earlier was now sitting down next to him._

_“So do a lot of things,” Alex mumbled but he did take the cigarette out of his mouth and kept it between his fingers, unlit._

_“Very true,” the guy agreed. “You’re Scott’s brother, right?” Alex nodded. “I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Hank McCoy,” he introduced, sticking out his hand which Alex only looked at before shifting his gaze to the ground; Hank retreated his hand._

_“Alex.”_

_“You have a geophysicist degree, don’t you?”_

_Alex poked his head up and looked at Hank. “How do you-”_

_“Sorry, that probably sounds very weird from a stranger,” Hank laughed off, “I only know that because Scott talks about you a lot. I’m more into genetics myself but I find geophysics quite interesting.”_

_The cigarette fell from Alex’s hand and he honestly didn’t even care. But did he hear this guy correctly? Someone interested in Alex’s niche interest than no one really knew of?_

_“Really?”_

_Hank nodded. “Oh yeah, it’s very interesting to me. Then again, all branches of science are. Astronomy, for one thing, has to be one of my favorites outside of chemistry and biology. I give that credit to Carl-”_

_“Sagan,” Alex finished for him, finding himself a bit stunned. “He’s probably hands down my favorite astronomer.”_

_“Mine too,” Hank grinned and maybe this guy wasn’t Scott’s type, but was he potentially...Alex’s?_

_Present Day_

“Rick Andrews, huh?” Scott seemed quite amused by this. “So you’ll be Hank’s...cousin? Why can’t you just be who you are? I don’t see a problem with it,” he stated flatly but Alex did, he had a _huge_ problem with it. 

“Because Alex is scared of Wanda,” Hank mumbled and Alex shot him a look.

“I’m not scared of her. We don’t like each other, there’s a difference.”

“Regardless, she’s the only one who will be able to help Alex,” Hank continued on, “but Alex is refusing her help.”

“I don’t want that bitch’s help,” Alex barked. “If I have to stay like this forever then so be it. I would rather do that then go to Wanda for help.”

Scott groaned. “Alex this is _not_ the time to be stubborn.” 

Alex rolled his eyes. “I don’t care. I’m not going to her for help and frankly I don’t need anyone’s help. I’m starting my life over and the truth of the situation stays between the four of us, got it?” 

“And here I thought you were starting to be rational,” Hank said under his breath and Alex nearly growled at him. Or he might’ve growled at him, he wasn’t quite sure and he didn’t care. 

“Christ,” Logan huffed out a laugh. “Summers swallow yer damn pride and accept help from the girl.”

“That’s rich coming from _you_.”

“Alex,” Scott hissed. 

“We have to respect Alex’s choice, even if we don’t agree with it,” Hank sighed heavily, rubbing his head as if he had a headache. “We’ll just have to find an alternate way and for now, he can pass off as someone else. It’ll be easier.” Hank’s phone started ringing then and he took it out of his pocket, smiling down at it. “Excuse me,” he excused and walked off into the other room.

“Calm down kid,” Logan told Alex and he cocked an eyebrow at him. “Fucking reeking of jealousy.”

“I’m not jealous,” Alex growled this time, not even sure what Logan was even talking about. “Why are you here anyway? Or do you always follow my brother around like a dog?”

Logan shrugged, unfazed by the comment. “I’m entertained.”

“I need some air,” Scott spoke up suddenly and walked out of Hank’s apartment, Logan following him. 

Alex should really just listen to himself and leave. Leave town, start his life all over. Maybe he should take the advice from a movie and find a castle to live in, far away from everybody. Well, Alex couldn’t afford a castle but he could afford a small house buried in the woods. It would be easier, much easier on everyone if Alex just got _away_. 

Yeah it was selfish, completely selfish of him but this was Alex’s life, right? It would be best for him and everyone if he just left. Scott would be fine, he has Logan and surely they were bound to move in together soon anyway. Hank had other friends and it wasn’t like him and Alex were that close anyway. They were in the past sure, but the past was long behind them both. 

“You’re not leaving,” Alex heard Hank behind him as if he was reading his thoughts. 

“What happened to respecting my choice? Or are you already backpedaling?” Alex chastised as he took a threatening step towards Hank. “And how do you know what I want to do in the first place, hm? Telepathy isn’t your mutation, Bozo.”

“I think we can both agree I know you well enough to know what you’re thinking.”

Alex scoffed. “You don’t know shit about me.”

Hank crossed his arms over his chest, his nostrils flaring as he looked down at him. “I think you’re forgetting we were once friends.”

_Trust me Hank, I don’t forget._

“We’re not anymore.” A look of hurt washed over Hank’s face for a second but it was quickly replaced with a blank expression. But Alex saw it. “You really gonna tell me after all of this time you want to be friends?” Alex shook his head, an odd pain forming in the pit of his stomach.

“And you don't?”

_Of course I do._

“Why would I?” Hank took a sharp intake of breath but didn’t say anything. “Face it Hank, once this shit is over things are gonna go back to how they were. Just an awkward exchange and whatever party or gathering we happen to be at. That’s all we are now.”

Alex didn’t even believe his own words, and if Hank claimed he knew him as well as he did, he would see right through it. Hank always saw right through whatever facade Alex had on or whatever walls were built up around him. Hank _always_ found a way to take them down and Alex hated that he could. 

Hank remained silent and the pain in Alex’s stomach only felt worse. 

“Why are we even talking about this again?” Alex mainly said to himself, shaking his head. “We had chances to talk about this, Hank. Neither of us took them.”

“You’re scared.”

“Of what?”

“Of us.”

“Us? Hank there is no _us_. You made that perfectly clear when you-” Alex took a deep breath, his throat feeling dry, “when you told me your life isn’t about me. Like yeah, it’s not but I at least thought I had some part in it.” The pain in his stomach became unbearable and Alex felt sick. The memories of their fight flooded into his mind but he pushed them as far back as he could.

“Alex,” Hank spoke his name with softness, with pity almost and Alex really hated it. Slowly, Hank took a small step closer to him and Alex took a step back. He couldn’t deal with this right now, he didn’t want to. 

Alex took a few steps back even further, his gut turning at the sight of the defeated look upon Hank’s face. Old feelings, emotions from the past were flooding back through him and Alex was starting to feel overwhelmed. 

Hank halted where he was, sadness laced all over his face as he looked at Alex. His amber eyes were soft and it only made Alex’s stomach churn.

“You didn’t want me then and don’t lie to me and act like you want me now,” Alex bellowed, really wishing Scott or Logan even would come back in. “We both left and didn’t come back for a reason, it’s best we keep it that way.”

“Would you prefer that then?” Hank asked slowly, cautiously and Alex blinked. “Out of your life like I have been for the past few years?” Alex felt his throat close up. He didn’t have an answer to that.

Of course he would want Hank back in his life, go back to how things used to be between them but Alex wasn’t sure if he could. Everything was different now. Everything between them was different. The Alex Hank once knew was gone and so was the Hank Alex once knew. They weren’t the same anymore and maybe it was for the best. 

Hank was always too good for Alex anyway. Alex wasn’t the nicest person back then but now? He’s New York’s biggest asshole, probably the world’s biggest one too. Hank didn’t need someone like Alex in his life and Alex wasn’t even sure if he was going to change the parts about himself that he didn’t particularly like either.

Frankly, Alex didn’t know what to do anymore. He felt stuck in the life he created for himself. Maybe if he had been more supportive to Hank in the past things would have been different. They would have never fought but Alex didn’t understand. Still to this day he did not understand why Hank wanted to change himself, his mutation, and didn’t tell Alex till it was too late. 

Maybe things would have been different if his temper hadn’t gotten in the way. If Alex didn’t listen to Hank when he told him to leave, if Alex never even met him in the first place. If Alex told Hank from the very beginning to fuck off, maybe what happened between them never would have happened.

But shit, who was Alex kidding? It was Hank. Hank would have found a way into his life. He would have found a way to break down Alex’s walls no matter how hard Alex tried. People come in and out of lives for a reason and Hank came into Alex’s for a reason. He left sure, but now he was back and Alex didn’t want to fuck it up again. 

“No,” Alex finally answered Hank, unsure of how much time had passed since he’d asked his weighted question. 

A very visible wave of relief washed over Hank like he was the shore and Alex’s words were the ocean. He still wondered why Hank was saying all of this now, maybe it was a thing of guilt, Alex wasn’t sure. He didn’t dare ask either.

“Okay,” Hank replied with a nod. “You don’t happen to have a rose, do you?” Alex made a weird face at the sudden change in subject. 

“What?”

“In the movie, the beast had an enchanted rose that kept him in his beast form-”

“You’re such a dork,” Alex shook his head at him, the pain lessening slightly. “No I don’t have some enchanted rose and if there is one Wanda surely didn’t give it to me. You act like she’s some damn enchantress or something.”

“I mean, she did turn you into this,” Hank gestured towards him and Alex shrugged.

“Still, it’s not like she has actual magic or anything.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Hank said a bit too eagerly and Alex cocked an eyebrow. Before he could ask how, there was a knock on the door. “Remember, you’re Rick Andrews.”

“Wait a minute-” Alex protested as Hank went to answer the door and Alex’s hands-paws whatever formed into fists as he watched a very bubbly Wanda wrap her arms around Hank and pull him into a hug. 

Alex only stared in awe, watching as Wanda made small chat with Hank before catching Alex’s gaze and greeting him with a friendly _smile _. Wanda never once smiled at Alex, unless it was a malicious one at least. But Alex forgot, he wasn’t Alex right now was he?__

__“You must be Rick!” She enthused and Alex took a glance at Hank, wondering when he had the time to tell her. Maybe she was the one Hank spoke to over the phone and he already told her, the call that made Hank smile…_ _

__Alex cleared his throat before looking back at Wanda, a small smile forming on his face. “Yeah, that’s me-oof,” Alex let out as Wanda pulled him into a tight hug. The sweet perfume she was wearing nearly suffocated Alex and he coughed as she pulled away._ _

__Wanda never hugged him either. This was weird._ _

__“I’m Hank’s friend, Wanda,” she introduced with a grin and exchanged a knowing look with Hank. “Hank and I were about to grab brunch, you’re more than welcome to join us,” she offered and Alex bit back the pang of jealousy he felt as well as comeback dancing on his tongue._ _

___You have no right to be jealous._ _ _

__Alex took a calming breath and gave Wanda a small smile. “That’s alright actually, I have other plans with my bro-I mean with uh Alex’s brother, Scott,” he replied quickly and Wanda nodded._ _

__“That’s okay, maybe another time! Also,” she lowered her voice then and took a step closer to Alex, “between you and me, stay far away from Alex Summers. He only makes trouble.” Alex felt a pool of anger in his stomach and thankfully Hank interrupted._ _

__“Alex isn’t-”_ _

__“Hank don’t defend him,” Wanda snapped, “especially after what he did to you?” She shook her head and huffed and Alex was on the verge of growling._ _

__“What’d he do?” Alex tried to mask the anger in his voice as Wanda looked at him._ _

__“Hank didn’t tell you?” Alex shook his head, not even daring to look at Hank. Maybe he could finally get some intel on why Wanda hated him so much. “Well, Alex broke Hank’s heart because that’s what Alex does. He takes something good, something great and amazing and breaks it.” Alex was seeing red at this point and he hated that Wanda was right. Alex ruined everything in his path, all the more reason why he should get away._ _

__“That’s enough Wanda,” Hank interjected weakly and Wanda gave Hank an innocent look._ _

__“Just looking out for him, that’s all.” Her phone started ringing then and she excused herself, telling Hank she’ll meet him in the car._ _

__“Alex, I-”_ _

__“Leave me alone,” Alex brushed past him but Hank caught his arm. “Go to your fucking brunch and leave me alone,” he growled as he yanked his arm back._ _

__“Promise me you’ll be here when I get back.”_ _

__Alex rolled his eyes. “Why the fuck-”_ _

__“Because I care about you, Alex. Whether you believe me or not, that’s up to you but I care. Promise me you’ll stay here.”_ _

__Alex sighed defeatedly, knowing he shouldn’t be projecting his anger from Wanda onto Hank. “Yeah, I’ll be here. I promise,” he muttered and Hank offered him a small smile before he left._ _

__Alex groaned as he flopped down on Hank’s couch, staring lazily and blankly ahead at the turned off TV._ _

___Because I care about you, Alex._ _ _

__Alex really wished he didn’t, would make things so much easier._ _


	6. I love you

Hank fiddled with his hands in his lap, too nervous to eat since he kept thinking about Alex. He promised Hank he wouldn’t leave but Hank still couldn’t help but worry…

“What was Alex doing at your place last night?” Wanda cut Hank’s thoughts off quickly and he looked up at her, seeing her breakfast of fruit and granola was untouched as well. 

Right, Hank forgot Wanda was there last night. He assumed her and Alex had an exchange last night, but the question was does Hank ask about it or not.

“He wanted to talk before he left town.”

Wanda cocked an eyebrow and leaned forward on the table. She rested her head in her hands, an eager smile forming on her face. “Did he now?” Hank nodded, knowing this would be a good thing to pass off. “Well that’s good. Now the parties will actually be enjoyable,” she laughed but Hank wasn’t amused. “Oh come on Hank! You’re not the least bit relieved?”

“Why would I be?” Hank deadpanned and Wanda rolled her eyes. “I never wanted Alex gone, I’m sorry if I ever gave you that impression.”

“What is with you and him? It’s like Alex has some sort of hold on you.”

Hank shrugged, forcing himself to eat some of the eggs in front of him, although he wasn’t that hungry. “We have a past, Wanda. Despite how things ended between us, we had good times. Great times,” he smiled to himself and Wanda scoffed.

Her hazel eyes were wide and she sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest and pouting like a child. “Do you still have feelings for Alex? After all this time?” Hank sighed, wondering the same thing himself. 

He cared about him, of course Hank cared about him and he never wished him ill or anything. He wanted to try again as friends because Hank loved his friendship with Alex and down the line when that was fixed, maybe they could pick back up where they left off, if Alex felt the same. Hank wasn’t even quite sure where they left off either. They both admitted they had feelings for each other, openly flirted and only kissed once, but they weren’t official or anything. 

Alex was right, Hank was a coward. He was a coward for not kissing Alex more and not fighting for their friendship when he had the chance too. Alex wasn’t one to give up on things and neither was Hank, but they gave up on each other and Hank was not going to do that anymore. 

He would get things back to normal with Alex. He would do his best and try as much as he could. Before he had chances to do so, but Hank didn’t act on them. Now he had a whole window of opportunity and Hank was going to take it. 

“I’ll always have feelings for Alex,” Hank admitted as he came out of his thoughts and answered Wanda’s question. “Has Alex ever...done anything to you?” He asked carefully, trying to see what motive Wanda would have to try and punish Alex.

“Outside of being an asshole, no not really,” Wanda grumbled and Hank was beginning to think there was more to that than Wanda was letting on. 

Hank offered her a small smile, hoping if he pressed slightly it will work. “You know you can tell me anything, right?” Wanda nodded, matching Hank’s smile. 

Wanda took a deep breath. “It’s just...I feel like Alex has some hold on you, and he shouldn’t because you deserve better, Hank. Much, much better. And I feel like, I don’t know, you and I have something good going and Alex is coming in the way of that. I guess what I’m trying to say is, if you’re not interested anymore in Alex romantically at least since I guess I can excuse a friendship or whatever, then maybe we can try?” A blush formed across her cheeks then and Alex was right, Hank was dense.

“You’re interested in me? Romantically?” Wanda nodded, letting out a faint laugh. 

“I’m glad to know it wasn’t obvious.”

Hank shook his head. “Not at all.”

Wanda sucked in her lower lip, looking down at her food and slowly eating. “Well, is that something you’re interested in? Dating?”

_Two years ago…_

_“Is that something you’d be into? Dating?” Hank questioned lightly as Alex had just finished his rant about Logan dating Scott._

_“Of course I’d be into it, but I would never in a million years date someone like...Logan,” Alex gagged as he flopped down on the couch, running a hand through his hair. “Like yeah he makes Scott happy which is important but why Logan? Of all people?”_

_Hank shrugged, placing a comforting arm on Alex’s shoulder. “I’m sure Scott would approve of whoever you dated.” Alex let out a faint laugh and turned to look at Hank, his eyes soft._

_“I know he would, he already approves of you.” Alex’s eyes went a little big then, probably realizing what he just said. “What I mean is-”_

_“I get it, Alex,” Hank smiled cheekily, his stomach and chest fluttering. “Glad to know if you could pick anyone to date it would be me.” Alex rolled his eyes at that. “Am I wrong?”_

_“I’m not saying you’re right,” Alex mumbled, “but if I were to date anybody for Scott’s approval it would be you.”_

_Hank cocked an eyebrow. “Just for Scott’s approval?”_

_Alex’s cheeks turned bright red and Hank laughed. “Clam it, Bozo,” he snapped with no real malice in his voice and it only made Hank laugh more._

_“If it makes you feel any better, you’re my top choice for dating too.”_

_Alex rolled his eyes. “I should be your only choice, Hank. No one’s as hot as me,” he boasted and Hank rolled his eyes at that._

_“Get rid of your ego and you’ll be much more dateable.”_

_“You love it Hank. That’s why you want to date me.”_

_Hank smiled to himself, knowing very well he did but it wasn’t because of a small part of Alex. It was never just parts of Alex Hank wanted, it was all of him._

_Present Day_

Thankfully, Hank’s phone started to ring and he politely excused himself as he stepped away from the table. He looked at his phone and felt his heart beat a little bit faster as Alex’s contact flashed across the screen, something Hank hadn’t seen in a long time. 

“You have impeccable timing,” Hank told him as soon as he answered the call and Alex huffed an amused laugh. 

“I knew your date with Wanda wasn’t all that great.”

“It’s not a-” Hank was going to correct him but Alex was right about Wanda having a thing for him and if this brunch went the way Wanda intended it to, she probably would have classified it as a _date_. “Is there something you need?” 

“Yeah, you need to pick up more food on your way home.”

Hank sighed to himself and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Did you eat all my food?”

“Not all of it!” Alex protested and Hank couldn’t help but laugh. “I was hungry and you had a lot of food and your cupboards and shit were empty anyway so,” he muttered and Hank shook his head, not that Alex could see. 

“Alright, I’ll come home and we can go get groceries together.”

“Don’t you want to finish your-”

“I’ll see you soon,” Hank quickly ended the call and returned to the table. “Sorry about that but Rick needs me, family stuff,” he excused and took some money out of his wallet. “I’m really sorry but is it alright if we continue this conversation over dinner soon?”

Wanda smiled faintly. “Yeah, I understand. I’ll text you later, okay?” Hank nodded, apologizing again before heading back to his apartment.

When he arrived, he noticed Scott and Logan were gone and Alex was chilling on the couch, mindlessly scrolling through his phone. 

“You were right, you know,” Hank closed the door behind him and approached Alex, who glanced up at him with those new eyes of his. Despite Alex’s appearance, Hank still _knew_ it was Alex. 

“About?”

“Wanda.”

Alex set his phone down on his lap, crossing his arms over his chest and giving Hank his full attention. “Go on.”

“Well for one thing, she is interested in me,” Hank cleared his throat, sitting across from Alex on his coffee table, their knees brushing together. “And right when she asked me if I was interested in that too, you called.” Alex cocked an eyebrow at that. 

“Did you have an answer?”

Hank took a deep breath. “I did. I also tried to see what her motive might be for doing something like this and she didn’t have one. She only hated you because we were close,” he cleared his throat and Alex laughed. 

“God that’s so immature,” Alex chuckled and sat forward a little, his eyes locking with Hank’s. “So you and that witch are going to date?” Alex snarled and Hank was starting to wonder if Alex was jealous.

“No, I-I,” Hank took a deep breath, he could do this, “Alex I know this isn’t something you don’t want to hear right now but I need to get this out.” Alex nodded, waiting for him to continue. “I’m not going to date Wanda because I don’t have romantic feelings for her, and Wanda would never like me being friends with you. And that’s a big part of why I can’t be with her, Alex. I want to fix things with you. I- _We_ gave up on each other, on our friendship and I don’t want to do that anymore. I want to fight for this to work again. I understand you don’t necessarily want that but I’m sick of being a coward and sorry I’m rambling now,” he apologized and Alex only stared at him.

“You’re not a coward,” Alex said quietly after a couple minutes of silence, “I know I said it but I never meant it,” he admitted. “The past-”

“We can’t change it. Alex, we can’t hold onto it forever. We can’t change it, we can’t go back, we can’t do anything about it. I messed up and should’ve done something sooner, we both should have, but we didn’t. We didn’t do anything but it’s not too late to do something now.” 

Alex’s face was unreadable, so Hank kept going.

“I want to try again, Alex. I miss my friend. I miss you.”

“Don’t,” Alex snapped and Hank shook his head at him.

“Why do you keep fighting this? What are you so scared of that you don’t even want us to be friends?” Alex’s chest was puffing with anger but Hank didn’t care, he _needed_ answers. “Alex the least-”

“I don’t deserve you, alright?!” Alex yelled and growled, standing up from the couch and brushing Hank’s legs as he did so. Hank stood up as well, seeming to lock Alex in his place. “Hank I-I’m not a good person and you deserve so much better, okay?” Alex’s voice sounded hurt and Hank reached out to him but Alex brushed him off. “You heard Wanda, I ruin everything in my path and things between us were already shit and I’ll just make things worse.” He let out a breath and looked down at the ground before slumping back on the couch. 

Hank sat down next to him, gently placing a hand on Alex’s knee, which he didn’t push off this time. “I don’t think you’re a bad person,” he told him gently and Alex let out a forced laugh. “Why do you care what Wanda thinks of you anyway?”

“I don’t, but she did have a point.” 

“She didn’t. Alex, Wanda doesn’t like you for petty reasons. Take everything she says with a grain of salt.”

Alex looked at him, his eyes shining brightly with tears. “She’s your friend,” he stated flatly.

“And you aren’t?” Alex shrugged at that remark but Hank kept talking. “Alex, you’re not a terrible person. You don’t get along with Wanda and Peter, that doesn’t mean everybody hates you. You have friends, Alex, family who loves you. Just because Wanda says you’re something different doesn’t mean it’s necessarily true. The only person who knows who you are is you.” Alex only nodded at that statement but didn’t dare to meet Hank’s eyes. Alex probably wanted Hank to stop talking, but he wouldn’t. What he had to say was important and he needed to get it off of his chest, now. “I don’t like being the middleman of situations but if it really came down to it, of course I would pick you over Wanda. Sure we’re not close now but I-I can’t-”

“Hank,” Alex began warningly,

“Alex, I love you, in every way possibly. I-I’m sorry I probably sound like a broken record and you probably really don’t want to hear this but it’s true, Alex. I’m sick of ignoring my feelings for you and pretending how I feel is irrelevant.” Alex only stared blankly at him, seeming to be in shock. “I want this to work between us and I don’t care if you look like this or not-”

“I didn’t stop talking to you because you became Beast,” Alex blurted.

“I know.”

“I-I didn’t mean to just cut you out of my life but I got scared, Hank. I’m sorry.”

Hank gently took Alex’s face in his hand, smiling softly at him. “I’m sorry too.” He pulled him into a hug then and Alex nestled his face in the crook of his neck. “I love you,” Hank said again as he pressed a kiss atop Alex’s head.

“I love you too, Hank.”

Suddenly, red smoke filled the air and both of them started to cough profusely. When they stepped back, Hank was the same and Alex was...normal again, to say the least, but the clothes he was wearing were about to fall off of him.

Alex huffed and crossed his arms over his chest. “Fucking Disney plot,” he sighed and Hank laughed, pulling him into a sweet kiss and never letting him go.

**Author's Note:**

> Poor Alex :((( 
> 
> Next chapter will be in Hank’s POV!! Hope you all enjoyed!


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